Apparatus for lifting and pouring liquids



I. R. 00E.

APPARATUS FOR LIFTING AND POURING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20. I919.

' 3 SHEETS--SHEEI I.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES ROBERT COE, OF WATERBIJ'RY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN BRASS COMPANY, OF VJATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- N ECTICUT.

'AIIPARATUS FOR LIFTING AND POURING LIQUIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented- Dc, 14, 1920,

Application filed December 20, 1919. Serial No. 346,225.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES R. Con, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVaterbury, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Lifting and Pouring Liquids, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to apparatus for lifting and pouring liquids and has for its object to provide for pouring molten metal from melting furnaces, crucibles, ladles, and the like, which are tilted to pour the metal therefrom, and also to lift and transport the metal to and from any desired points. It further has for its object to secure the accurate control of the movements ofthe container when being lifted through a considerable distance and particularly when it is tilted at various heights, as desired to pour the contained metal into molds or other receptacles, the container being suspended from above as distinguished from supported from below. 1

The following is a description of an embodiment of my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a view partially in side elevation and partially in section of an apparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same, and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the container tilted through an angle of substantially 90.

A modification is shownv in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, of which,

Fig. 4: shows an apparatus embodying my invention partly in side elevation and partly in section;

Fig. 5 shows a front view of the same, and

Fig. 6 shows a view partly in side elevation and partly in section with the container tilted 90.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 show similar views of another modification.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in Figs. 1, 2 and3, 1 is a furnace adapted to contain a crucible and heated by gas supplied to the burner 2, said furnace having a discharge spout 3. 4 is a traveling crane having a trolley 5 carrying drums 6, 6 actuated by suitable motors 7, 7 Depending from the drumsare cables 8, 8. The rear cables 8 are connected to an extension 9 at the bottom of the furnace. The front cables 8 are connected to a sliding frame 10 guided in ways 11 which depend from the trolley 5. The lower end of the frame 10 is pivoted to trunnions 12gcarried by brackets 13, the axis of the pivots being approximately in line with the discharge lip of the spout 3. The motors 7, 7' are preferably electric motors controlled from any desired point so that they can be actuated either synchronously or independently. 14 is a mold into which the molten metal is to be poured.

Inoperating this apparatus the furnace is moved by the crane 4: to any desired point and lowered so as to be placed upon any suitable foundation during the heating period, the heatbeing supplied by the burner 2 as above stated or by any other suitable means. When the metal is heated so as to be in condition to be poured, both motors 7, 7' are operated to wind up the cables 8, 8' and lift the furnace to the desired height at which time the motors are stopped so as to check the upward movement. The crane 4 is then actuated so as to move the furnace sidewise toward the mold 14:, and the trolley 5 actuated so as to move the furnace forward so that the spout shall be in proper pouring position relatively to the mold.

With the motor 7 at rest the motor 7 is then actuated so as to tilt the furnace about the axis of the pivots 12 through the are indicated by the1dotted lines or the necessary portion of the same so as to pour the metal from the furnaceinto the mold 14. Fig. 3 shows a furnace tilted so as to compl-etely discharge the contents of the furnaceh After the molten metal has been poured out the furnace is then restored to the position shown in Fig. 1 and subsequently carried to the location where it is desired to charge the same or heat it up, and lowered with the frame 10 so that the furnace rests upon its foundation. The frame 10 secured to the furnace by the ivots 12 and snugly held by the guide 11, holds the furnace securely from swinging during the transportation and pouring periods.

In the form shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6, 101 is the furnace having a discharge spout 103 carried by a traveling crane 104 and trolley 105, the trolley being provided with two drums 106 actuated by a motor 107. 108

are cables fastened at one end to the drums 106 and at their other ends to the trolley 105 as indicated. Said cable passes beneath two, grooved pulleys 120, secured to the rear lower end of the furnace and also be'neath two pulleys 121 carried by a frame-110,-

which slides vertically in guideways 111 car-' is an abutment 115 which acts as a stop to limit the upward movement of the frame 110.

In operating this embodiment of my invention the furnace is transported to any desired point by the crane 104 and trolley 105 and thenlowered to be charged with metal and to be heated. When so lowered the cable 108 can be removed from the pulleys 120 and 121 and the frame 110 disengaged from the trunnions 112 so that the lifting apparatus can be moved to any de sired point independently of the furnace and used for lifting other furnaces. After the furnace has been charged and heated, the frame 110 is brought into position so that the trunnions 112 engage the bearings thereof and the cables 108 are placed beneath the pulleys 120 and 121. The motor 107 is then actuated to lift the furnace, together with the frame 110, and by means of thecrane 104 and trolley 105 carry it to the desired position relative to'the mold 114,-the motor 107 being stopped so as to hold the upper'end of the frame 110 substantially in contact with the abutment 115. When the spout 103 of the furnace has been properly located relatively to the mold 114, the motor 107 is further actuated to wind up the cable 108 so as to tilt .the furnace about the axis of the trunnions 112 to the desired extent through the are shown in dotted lines. 1

in Figs. 4 and 6, pouring out as much as may be desired of the contents of the furnace. After the pouring has been completed the furnace is restored to the position shown inFig. 4 by reversing the motor 107 and then the furnace is carried to the desired point and lowered together with the frame 110 for recharging'and reheating, and the frame 110 and cable 108 used in connection with another furnace if desired.

In the'form shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, 201 is the heating furnace having a discharge spout 203. 204 is the traveling crane having a trolley 205 carrying drums 206 actuated by a motor 207. 208 arecables connected to the drums 206 at their upper ends 114 is the mold into whIich. JO-

and at their lower ends to a bail'220 pivoted to the furnace at 221. 210 is a frame sliding in ways 211 carried by the trolley 205.

raised by the cable 208 which simultaneously 2 raises the frame 210 until the frame 210 engages the abutment 215 which acts as a stop to limit its upward movement. The' furnace is then moved by the crane 204 and trolley 205 until the spout 203 is in the proper position relatively to the mold 214, whereupon the cable 208 is further wound up so as to tilt the furnace about the trunnions 212 through the angle shown in dotted lines in Figs. 7 and 9, or a portionthereof, until the desired amount of metal is poured out. After the furnace has been emptied the cable 208 is unwound sufliciently to restore the parts to the position shown in Fig. 7 whereupon the furnace is carried to the desired 'point by means of the crane 204 and trolley 205 and lowered to its foundation to be recharged and reheated.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art, my invention permits of various modifications without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is: i

1. In an apparatus for pouring liquid, the

combination of a container having a pouring lip and adapted to-be lifted bodily to any desired height, means for tilting said container, when lifted, about an axis approximately in line with said pouring lip, a guide having upwardly extending guiding surfaces relatively to which said axis moves upwardly when said container isbeing lifted, said surfaces acting to position said axis laterally in a substantially vertical plane during the lifting and tilting operations, :1 support above said container from which said guide depends, and container-- lifting means carried by said support.

2. In an apparatus for pouring liquid, the combination of a container having a pouring lip and adapted to be lifted bodily to any desired height, means'for tilting said container, when lifted, about an axis approximately in line with said pouring lip, a guide having upwardly extending guiding surfaces relatively to which said axis moves upwardly when said container is being lifted, said surfaces acting to limit lateral movement of said axis during the lifting and tilting operations, a support above said and container-lifting means carried by said support.

3. In an apparatus for pouring liquid, the combination of a container having a pouring lip and adapted to be lifted bodily to any desired height, means for tilting said container, when lifted, about an axis approximately in line with said pouring lip, a guide having upwardly extending guiding surfaces relatively to which said axis moves upwardly when said container is being lifted, slides having pivotal connections with said container in line with said axis and moving along said guiding surfaces, said surfaces and slide acting to limit lateral movement of said axis during the lifting and tilting operations, a support above said container from which said guide depends, and container-lifting means carried by said support.

4. In an apparatus for pouring liquid, the combination of a container having a pouring lip, an overhead support for said container,

a guide depending from said support and rigidly connected thereto, said guide havin upwardly extending guiding surfaces, said container having trunnions whose common axis is substantially in line with said lip, sliding means journaled on said trunnions and adapted to slide along said guide, said trunnions being in line with the axis of said guide, and means depending from said support for lifting said container, said container when so lifted being tiltable about said trunnion axis.

5. In an apparatus for pouring liquid, the

combination of a container having a pouring lip, said container having trunnions whose common axis is substantially in line with said pouring lip and when lifted being tiltable at any desired point about said axis, guides having parallel guiding surfaces extending upwardly above said container and relatively to which said trunnions move upwardly when said container is lifted, slides journaled on said trunnions and adapted to engage said guides, and means for elevating the rear end of said container when the axis of said trunnions is stationary.

6. In an apparatus for pouring liquid, the combination of a container having a pouring lip, said container havin trunnions whose common axis is substantially inline with said pouring .lip and, when lifted, be ing tiltable at any desired point about said axis, parallel guides extending downwardl above said container and relatively to whic said trunnions move upwardly when said container is lifted, slides journaled on said trunnions and adapted to engage said guides, means for elevating the rear end of said container when the axis of said trunnions is stationary, a horizontally movable support, and means depending from said support for lifting said container, said elevating means and said guide being also carried by said support.

7. In an apparatus for handling a container of fluid having a discharge spout, the combination with such a container of trunnions substantially in line with the discharge lip of said spout, an upwardly extending slide journaled on said trunnions, a guideway for said slide, upwardly extending means for moving said container and said slide upwardly, means for checking the upward movement of said slide without preventing the upward movement of the center of gravity of said container and a traveling crane from which said container is suspended by said upwardly extending means.

8. In an apparatus for handling a container of fluid having a discharge spout and tilting the same about an axis substantially in line with the lip of said spout, the combination of such a container, trunnions substantially in line with the lip of said discharge spout, an upwardly extending slide journaled on said trunnions, a guideway for 'said slide, upwardly extending means for moving said container and slide upwardly, an abutment for limiting the upward movement of said slide without interferin with the upward movement of the center 0 gravity of said container, and a traveling crane from which said container is suspended by said upwardly extending means.

9. In an apparatus for handling a container of fluid having a discharge spout near its upper end and tilting said container about an axis substantially in line with the lip of said discharge spout, the combination of such a container, cables extending upwardly from points on said container located on different sides of the center of gravity of said container, a traveling crane located above said container and from which said container is suspended by said cables, and means for shortening the lengths of the cables at the rear of said container without shortening the lengths of the cables at the front of said container.

JAMES ROBERT COE. 

